Rep. Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga., center, walking down the steps of the House side of the U.S. Capitol after the last scheduled vote of the day Thursday, March 30, 2006 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)
Posted on 04/05/2006 4:46:35 PM PDT by Libloather
McKinney event called illegal
By BOB KEMPER, SCOTT MacFARLANE
Cox News Service
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Rep. Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga., center, walking down the steps of the House side of the U.S. Capitol after the last scheduled vote of the day Thursday, March 30, 2006 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)
WASHINGTON — When Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) spent money from her congressional office budget to fly singer Isaac Hayes to DeKalb County last year, it wasn't just to have the superstar attend the opening of her new district office or talk about music education for children of the 4th Congressional District.
Hayes also was the headliner at a political fundraiser for McKinney at the Stone Mountain home of state Sen. Gloria Butler, a violation of House ethics and campaign rules.
McKinney's office on Monday said it made a mistake when it paid for Hayes' trip — $500 for airfare and $400 for accommodations — from her $1 million congressional office budget, which is funded by federal tax dollars. Her aides vowed to pay back the money.
But McKinney's problems grew more serious Tuesday because using House funds to pay for purely political activity is specifically prohibited by House rules. Further, McKinney's failure to list Hayes' expenses on her campaign disclosure forms violated Federal Election Commission rules.
"It's actually breaking the law," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
"It's breaking House rules, which prevent a member from using travel funds for anything but their own travel," Sloan said. "And it breaks Federal Election Commission law, which requires that campaign funds be used for campaign expenses."
McKinney's spokesman, Coz Carson, said the misreporting had been an administrative mistake.
"This was not some sinister act to dupe the people out of a small amount of money," Carson said.
Butler, a Democrat from Stone Mountain, said the fundraiser with Hayes in March 2005 was the only event she hosted for McKinney. Butler said she couldn't recall how many people attended the event or how much money was raised, details she said were handled by McKinney's campaign.
Public records show McKinney did make a distinction between the event at her district office and the fundraiser held that evening when it came to catering.
She paid the caterer who did both events about $1,000 from her congressional office funds for one event and $800 from her campaign fund for the fundraiser.
McKinney featured Hayes in a full-color brochure she sent later to constituents. The singer also taped a radio campaign ad for McKinney.
Her district isn't all that bad. Some areas are bad, but there are still middle class and upper middle class people in her district.
She was defeated in 2002, and the conservatives in her district voted that time. She had stepped over the line, and accused the President of orchestrating the 9/11 attacks.
It can be done.
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